THE TRUTH ABOUT MRT3

THE TRUTH ABOUT MRT3

Testing delays have set back the deployment of two new trains of the MRT-3, a transportation official said Thursday.

The train manufacturer, China's Dalian Locomotive, has not agreed with one of its technical contractors, Bombadier, on the tests, said Department of Transportation (DOTr) Assistant Secretary for rails Cesar Chavez.

The Philippines bought 48 trains from Dalian to improve the services of the MRT, which ferries roughly half a million passengers daily on average.

(You witnessed that we conducted the test, it was activated and it's compatible with our signaling. We have to perfectly suit it with the train.)

The railway's power system should be upgraded, which will be completed by the end of the year, to run all newly purchased 16 train sets, he added.

Manalo said there is also documentation that the MRT management has accepted a prototype.

"During the first billing, we issued a statement or certification that it has already approved. When we were submitting the billing, iba 'yung template for inspection," he said, adding that the management has only paid 14 percent of the P3.8 billion cost of the new trains.